2011: Post 8 – The Solo Paddler

Yesterday Tony and I decided we would go to St. Philips today and have a little paddle practice around the cove for a couple of hours.  The wind was forecasted to be North 30 km with temp about -2 C (-10 or so with the wind chill).   With a North wind there is little protection in the cove as wind from this direction pretty much comes straight in.  To make a short story shorter, we decided to cancel our plans for this afternoon….

So I was checking my log book from last year to see what I had been up to last year around this time.  On March 20 last year I did my very first ocean solo paddle at St. Philips.  The weekend before I had done my very first paddle using a borrowed Greenland paddle and I wanted to get on the water and give it another go.  I remember e-mailing people to see if anyone wanted to join me but did not receive any yes’s.  I went anyway thinking someone will show up; nobody did.  I remember it being sunny with some wind and as I was there already I decided I would get on the water and stay in the cove, close to shore. 

It was an uneasy feeling at first.  I was using the Greenland paddle for only the second time on the ocean and it was the first time I was by myself on the ocean, granted I was relatively safe in the cove.  After a while of paddling close to the shore of the cove I began to paddle from headland to headland across the mouth of the cove.  I was into more wind and waves there but the uneasy feeling of the new paddle and being alone continued to dissipate. 

Then I decided to paddle towards Topsail beach.  I paddled maybe 2 kilometers and decided to paddle back to the cove.  After some more paddling around the cove I paddled a kilometer or so in the other direction toward Portugal Cove and then came back.  It was a nice day, not too much wind, the Greenland paddle was feeling good in my hands, and my uneasy feelings had completely left me by this point.  I decided to paddle further toward Portugal Cove with the bit of following wind and sea for the practice.

I was enjoying the paddle.  I passed familiar points along the way and before I knew it I was at Beachy Cove, about 4 km from St. Philips.  I had been in my kayak for a while and decided to land to stretch my legs and have a granola bar and some water.  There was some surf dumping on the little beach but landing was not a problem.  I got out and pulled my kayak onto the beach. When I turned around I realized the wind and waves had picked up since I left St. Philips.  I had been paddling in the following sea with the wind in my back and had not realized the wind had picked up a little. 

I watched the waves as I ate my snack.  With the direction of the waves coming into the little cove they would rebound off the rocks on the right, and then sort of come straight across the beach while mixing with the water from the little stream dumping into the cove.  Sometimes some higher waves would rebound making the water more turbulent.  As I stood there finishing my snack, watching this turbulence coming across the beach, and seeing the higher waves and wind blowing past the little cove the uneasy feeling came back upon me.  It seemed the wind was picking up a little more.

I remember beginning to contemplate the situation and what best to do.  The conditions were not highly intense or anything, but I was concerned about being by myself in the event of a capsize, a missed roll, and a swim.  Yes, the wind and waves had picked up.  I had been in far, far worse conditions during our practice sessions at St. Philips.  My strong side roll was very good, but I did not have a good weak side roll at this time (I had only just gotten my weak-side roll in January past and had been working on it in the pool...).  I supposed I could play it safe and paddle the additional kilometer to Portugal Cove in the following sea and then walk back to St. Philips for my car.  But I decided that it was only the fact of my being alone, depending solely upon myself, that things just looked worse than they actually were.

I took a couple more minutes to let the anxiety subside.  I turned my kayak around, bow pointing out and partly in the water, secured the spray skirt, and knuckled myself toward the water until I found myself afloat.  The rebounding waves were coming at me almost sideways and after I took one stoke I had to brace on my right as I was pushed sideways for a few feet.  A few good strokes and I was away from the beach.  I paddled out of the cove and turned my bow into the wind, toward St. Philips, and paddled.  The waves were about two feet high but not steep.  There was some white on the tops of them and I had to paddle a bit hard.  I concentrated on my strokes and used my torso against the wind.  I just paddled, passing the familiar points, and started to enjoy the moment again. It did not seem to be too long and I was back at the cove.  I paddled back to the slipway, packed up my kayak and gear and drove home. 

This experience was one of those kayak turning points for me.  I had been paddling less than two years at that point and that was my first experience on the ocean by myself.  I know I did not paddle far into the wilds of the world and that the conditions were not greatly intense and highly life threatening.  But for me at the time, having limited experience on the water, it was an experience that somehow seemed bigger than my skills at the time.  I have paddled by myself since and in much more wind and waves, but not far from safety.  And I do not advocate anybody paddling alone - I will always tell other people not to do it - but I admit it was a good experience for me.

I have since come to the conclusion that when we paddle we ultimately paddle alone, even when someone paddles with us.  The other people with us merely ease our mind and provide us entertainment and a social aspect to the experience.  They, no doubt, will pull us out of the water and help us into our kayak if we should swim, or look after us if we should become hypothermic, or even feed us if we did not bring a snack or enough lunch.  But they do not keep us upright on the water, or paddle our kayaks for us, or decide for us how to handle the conditions we are paddling in as we paddle along.  They do not decide for us what safety gear we take.  They do not decide if we will go into a rock garden or a cave, or if we will get in close into the clapitas.  They do not decide that we will practice our braces, rescues and rolls on the ocean or at the pool.  These things, and more, we decide and do for ourselves.  Thus, I believe that we are all, ultimately, solo paddlers.

2011: Post 7 – Double Days

Yesterday was my third double day since I got back on the water in February.  By this I mean we did a paddle in the day and then I went to the Saturday night pool session.  These days I enjoy.  For me they are a full day of thinking about, and living kayak.  As soon as I get up in the morning I am gearing up for the days paddle, then paddling and socializing with kayak minded people, then I am putting gear away and then getting ready for the pool, and then putting gear away again before going to bed.  In between there is a lull in the activities, but I am thinking about the days paddle, or thinking about the coming pool session, or thinking about my kayak and gear in some way.   It is a full day’s kayaking experience for me.

First part of my Double Day…

We paddled out of Witless Bay yesterday.  This is the first time I have paddled there, which is funny because it is so close.  Bay Bulls is even a little closer and I have only paddled there twice.  It’s funny how we seem to want to go further down the shore to the more popular spots, like Cape Broyle or Aquaforte.  Granted these places are very scenic and sheltered when the wind is in the right direction.

We paddled along the south side of Witless Bay.  The wind and waves were pretty much in our face going out.  We paddled all the way out to the Top of the Point where we got the full effects of the days wind and swell.  We hung around there for a while and then retraced our way back, stopping for lunch along the way, of course.

There were lots of places along the way to play in the waves; the guys with the helmets took full advantage of some of those play areas.  It was fun to sit and watch them in the waves.  There were a couple of capsizes (another aspect to the ‘double day’); one successful roll, one successful rescue.  When you play like that you have to expect those things to happen.  That’s why you have to periodically practice your rolls and rescues… That’s why our little group (we have begun calling ourselves the Great Big Sea Rovers) practices at St. Philips in whatever conditions we find there (I remember only twice in the last couple of years of our practices being cancelled because the conditions were to intense…).

Second part of my Double Day…

The pool session last night was not the regular affair.  It was a sort of introduction to the Greenland Paddle, sponsored by KNL (Kayak Newfoundland and Labrador).  Some of us have been using a GP for a while, but I believe for some people there it was their first time.  I have been using one exclusively since March last year after I did a 21 km paddle with a borrowed one.  I highly recommend that everyone sincerely tries one before dismissing this ‘stick’.  I am not highly proficient in its proper techniques and don’t profess to be, but I know I can paddle faster and longer with it then I can with a Euro bladed paddle. 

At the Greenland paddle pool session we were shown the forward stroke, the turning stroke (forward and backward), the balance brace, and then the proper technique to roll.   I found out that my rolling form is not correct… and I was doing so well too... so I guess if I want to learn to do it ‘the right way’ I’ll have to practice some more in the coming pool sessions.  I am going to the 2011 Atlantic Paddling Symposium in May and have registered to take the Greenland Paddle sessions.  These are being taught by Maligiaq Padilla (from Greenland) and will be a full day (morning and afternoon sessions) of instruction on using a greenland paddle.  So this will further add to my greenland paddle paddling education.  I expect I will learn some new skills, refine some that I have already learned.  And maybe I'll even unlearn those that I am doing incorrectly…. 

2011: Post 6 – Let's do it again

I was going to call this post "Hit me baby one more time" but after a little chuckle to myself, I just couldn't do it; there is only so much of Ms. Spears a fellow can take...  However, I must admit that I do like the rendition of this song that was done by Marty Casey on that show Rock Star a couple years back.... If you google it you can probably find it.... Anyway......................................

Yesterday was a nice day.  Temp was -7 C when we put in at Cape Broyle.  We decided to do a paddle we did last year about this time.  I checked my log and last year we had myself, Tony, Stan, Gerard, Neville, Sean, and Clyde.  Stan and Sean weren’t with us but Tobias was.  I do not believe Tobias had his drysuit at that time last year….

We had to do a little ice-breaking through thin ice pans off the launch for a couple hundred feet to get to open water.  We paddled up the north side, picking our way up, exploring nooks and crannies.   Some of these nooks we have explored before, but with little wind and swell in the bay some were accessible that you cannot get into every day.  Same paddle route + different conditions = a new experience….

We made our way up to, and around, Brigus Head.  As expected we encountered swell and clapitos around the Head.  I paddled a little closer than I sometimes normally would.  I am becoming more comfortable in the ‘bouncy’ stuff .  We pulled up on a beach and sat in the sun to eat our lunch while a seal kept watch over us.  I wonder what the wildlife think of us kayakers when they watch us like that… probably the same thing non-kayaking people think of us…

After lunch we retraced out path around Brigus Head.  My mind wondered someplace other than on the clapitos and I found myself quickly snapping back into the moment with a little brace on the left and a pulling up with my left knee to bring my kayak back.  It was all sort of subtle, nothing big at all, and I doubt it was observed by anyone, but I remember thinking “not this day...”  Things like that let you know the practice in the pool and at St. Philips pays off. 

We then paddled across the bay to Church Cove.  It was me who suggested to our group that we try to cross as a group and stay together.  We did that well for about half the way over and then, as always it seems to be the case with groups on crossings, we split away into three smaller groups.  On a gnarly weather day that would be more of a concern, but then on a gnarly day we likely would not have crossed the 2.5 km, but would have came back the way we went.  Like in all outdoor pursuits there are levels of risk in our sport.  On a nice calm day like we had a few hundred feet separation was acceptable. 

We made our way down the shore, exploring the nooks and crannies we had all explored before; it just never gets exhausting going into the same cave again and again…  When we reached the take-out the ice pans were now gone so landing was uneventful.  We consulted the GPS’s that took the trip with us.  Mine read 23.81 kilometers, moving time of 4 hours 43 minutes, stopped time of 1 hour 11 minutes.  A six hour trip in Cape Broyle with a sunny, minus temperature, on the 5^th day of March, with little wind and a great bunch of paddling partners...  I suppose I could have stayed home instead, maybe cleaned up my rather messy storage/laundry room in the basement.  Yeah, right!

You will see pics on the blogs of the other guys...  I think I will go check them out myself.]

2011: Post 5 – Have drysuit, will paddle

It was a windy weekend.  We did not paddle Saturday.  But Saturday night it was a go for the pool session so I went with my WW kayak.  After I got home, paddling buddy Tony had e-mailed a bunch of us about paddling after lunch – the winds were called to drop in the afternoon.  So we made a plan to meet at St. Phillips for a little paddle in the cove. 

The car’s temperature gauge was reading -5 when I got there; I guess twice that with the wind chill.  Not sure what the wind was; it was forecasted to be about 25 km in the afternoon.  I was early and got on the water in the marina while waiting for others to show up.  Only Tony came.  I waited for him to gear up and we headed out into the cove.

We had fun.  We would paddle out into the wind, and surf back in.  At times the wind would blow much harder for a sustained amount of time such that bigger waves would develop; we agreed there were some at least 2 meters from trough to crest, and some would become steeper to add a little thrill.   We paddled back and forth in beam and quartering seas as well. 

After a while Tony’s paddle shaft was icing over enough that it was a consideration (I use a wood GP and wasn’t having that problem so much).  Our deck lines, clothing, and gear was icing over as well.  We like to paddle and push limits at times, but we maintain an awareness of safety as well, especially in the colder months.  In wind and waves a slippery, iced up paddle shaft could make a swimmer out of you.  We had our fun.  We had been on the water an hour or more and decided to head back in.

Once we got into the marina and paddled to the river to rinse off I decided to try to put on my new storm cag with my neoprene mitts on.  It was not too difficult to push the mitts (bigger than the neoprene gloves I wear most of the year) through the cuffs and then stick my head through the neck and pull it over my PFD.  The hardest part was getting the cag around the cockpit coaming.  I have a little trouble with my skirt too when I wear the neoprene mitts.  I’ll have to make sure to practice it with the mitts each time I paddle.

After our fun we had coffee at the nearby restaurant.  The waitress made a remark about it being cold out there.  To me, with the little extra clothing on under the drysuit, today it did not feel much different from spring or fall paddling.  As long as you do not overdress and do not paddle too hard such that you start sweating, it is surprisingly warm and comfortable. 

Some people in the restaurant had fish and chips that looked and smelled good.  When I got home I mentioned to my wife about the fish and chips and we decided to go back for supper.  While we were eating, I heard a woman telling her friends about these couple of ‘crazy kayakers’ that she seen there earlier when she was out for a walk…. Can you believe that?  She was actually out walking around in -5 temp, even colder with the wind chill!!!  She must have been dressed properly for it.  Those crazy walkers….

[I know, I know, no pictures.  But if you go see Tony's blog he has one of himself that's kind of funny]

2011: Post 4 - My first paddle for 2011

Yesterday I paddled on the ocean for the first time since Dec 28; I do not count the New Year’s Day frolic at Quidi Vidi as a paddle…  I met Stan, Tony, Tobias, Clyde, and Gerard at St. Philips.  Initially a plan was offered to possibly paddle across to Bell Island, but we decided that we would make a final decision at the put-in.  But at St. Philips it was decided to paddle toward Brock Falls (I think that is the name of it), a few kilometers past Portugal Cove.  It made no difference to me where we paddled, just as long as we paddled. 

We have done this paddle before.  I think I can paddle the same route 100 times in succession and not tire of it.  I always seem to see something different that I have not seen there before.  And the water is often different – maybe there is a little more wind, or it comes from a different direction, there is less or more swell than before, or there are different combinations of swell and wind waves.  Sometimes it snows (winter) and sometimes the sum blazes down on us (summer).

The company on the paddle is often different too.  Sometimes there are just two of our regular group that can make the paddle on a particular day.  Other days we have six of the regulars, like yesterday, sometimes more.   Sometimes some of the regulars can’t make it but others can.  And sometimes one or two paddlers join us that seldom do not – these are especially enjoyable paddles for me… I like to see non-regular people getting out with us, we have lots of room to add new faces to our little group, both those with a lot of experience and those with lesser experience.

Sometimes you can paddle inside a rock and other days the ocean decides it’s too risky so you stay outside of it.  Some days it is colder and some days it is warmer.  Sometimes you see a seal, otter, whale, an eagle, or just a few gulls; sometimes you only see water, rock, sky, and your paddling companions. 

Sometimes somebody decides to do a little rock-hopping and takes a swim, or ends up on the rocks with a hole in their boat, or side-surfs a wave and ends up high and dry on the shore.

All these things above, and more, have all happened in the same stretch of coast from St. Philips to Portugal Cove.  I know that some people, especially the picture-takers, like to paddle in different places for a change of scenery.  Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a change of scenery too, but still I do not seem to get tired of paddling the same places that we have paddled before.  I guess for me it is more about the company that comes along on the paddle more so than where the paddle takes place.  

[[If you go to Tony's blog (My Newfoundland Kayak Experience) and Stan's blog (Kayaking Dreamin') you can see pics of yesterdays paddle]] 

2011: Post 3 - Poor numbers for pool sessions

At last night’s pool session we only had 11 people.  On Saturday past there were only half a dozen of people.  I cannot figure out why more people do not come to the pool sessions.

When I first started my kayak life I spent a lot of time during that summer on Long Pond (by MUN) trying to learn some basic kayaking skills; forward stroke, edging, bracing, rolling, etc…  Obviously, due to the space, the pond and the ocean are far more conducive to learning certain skills, like the forward stroke.  But I found trying to learn others skills, like edging and bracing, did not work so well for me on the pond and ocean.  I admit I was reluctant to really commit to bracing and edging for fear of capsizing in the deeper water and then having to get someone to help me back in my kayak.  I did get my first roll on Long Pond; it was September and the water was chilly.

Then the pool sessions started up in the fall.  Foolishly, I felt some intimidation when I started going to the pool sessions.  I remember thinking about how limited and non-existent my skills were and there were all these skilled, experienced paddlers rolling and bracing their way up and down the pool.  They all seemed to know each other and talked and laughed and were having a good time.  But there were newbie’s there too, like me.  These same skilled and experienced people would often give me their time to help me learn and practice skills.  For instance, Brian Duffet (others too) would get out of his boat, put it up on the pool deck, and spend time teaching me to roll; basically, he was paying his 10.00 to teach me kayak skills!  How great is that?

I have been going to the pool for three winters now.  The warm pool and the lack of having to wear all the kayak clothing and gear make it much easier to learn and work on skills.  I spent a lot of time in the shallow end so if I missed a brace or roll I could wet-exit and just stand up – no big deal.   It is where I’ve initially learned and developed a lot of kayaking skills like rolling, bracing, and edging.  Then, by attending the St. Phillips Thursday evening practices I have transferred skills from the pool to the ocean.  An example is that I’ve capsized for real several times during paddles on the ocean (a lot more times on Terra Nova River) and unexcitingly rolled back up.   It is because I have practiced this particular skill a lot in the pool, then later on the ocean,  that capsizing in the real world has never been a big deal; no panic involved, just set up and roll.  I’ve also seen my buddies Sean and Tobias capsize on paddles and simply roll themselves up.  Both these guys have spent a lot of time at the pool, and at the St. Phillips practice’s, learning and developing their skills as well.  The three of us, like others, have figured out the value in dragging our boats out to the pool and paying our ten bucks. 

Often the last thing I want to do is load up my kayak and go to the pool on a Tuesday or Saturday night.  Most of us have better things to do with our time.  But I believe in the importance of skills development and maintenance, and the necessity of socializing with others who share the kayaking passion.   When the poop hits the fan on a real paddle, and it will at some time for everyone who paddles, I hope to be able to deal with things.  In order to do that it has to start somewhere.  For me that place starts at the pool and then progresses to the ocean.

I suppose everybody has to find their own reason for coming to the pool sessions.  And until they do the numbers will remain low…

2011: Post 2 - Back on the water at last

A few days after New Years I came down with a bad cold.  It held on and turned into a bad flu - cough, chest congestion… then a lingering sinus infection.  It took over a month before I started to really feel better.  During this time I did not (could not) get back on the water.  I had intended to go to the pool last week on Tuesday but inclement weather cancelled the pool session. 

This morning one of my paddling buddies had planned a paddle but my shoulder and neck muscles were acting up so I did not go; I simply refuse to leave the beach knowing I am starting as a potential liability to those I paddle with.  I’ve been on muscle relaxants all day and tonight I was feeling much better and so I went to the pool session.  Tonight marks only 2 times on water so far in 2011.  Last year by this date I had been on the water 12 times (7 pool sessions and 5 times on the salt water).  I do hope that this poor start to the year is not an indication of things to come for this kayaking season; some of us count the season from Jan 1^st to Dec 31^st). 

It was good to get to a pool session after my kayak hiatus.  I did some socializing of course - it's good to talk to kayak-minded people, we understand each others obsession.  I did some rolls and braces on both sides with extended and non-extended paddle positions.  These I did with the skirt on and off.   I also did re-enter and roll on both sides.  I was happy to not have missed any of my weak-side rolls since it has been six weeks away from the kayak and it has not been very long before then that I started to feel comfortable with my weak-side rolling.  While doing these drills I was thinking how thankful I was for being able to come to a warm pool on this coldish February night to be able to practice.

Imagine if there were no pool sessions anymore!  We have done cold water practices in the past and it is more condusive to be able to go to the pool during the winter to learn and practice skills.  I think it is still important to do some cold water practice so you will know what to expect if you end up bottom up or out of your boat if you paddle in the winter months.  But I tend to not do many practice rolls or braces in the cold water – a couple or so and I am good... Paddling in the winter I do not mind too much, but that water in winter feels cold, and then when you come up and the cold air hits you….  I’d much prefer to practice in the pool and just paddle in the cold….  but just imagine if there weren't pool sessions any more to practice and learn in comfort.